In Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) wireless communication networks, and Long Term Evolution (LTE) and 4G wireless telecommunication networks that include an Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN), communication network operational performance data are utilized for analyzing network performance, troubleshooting warnings and error conditions, optimizing network operation, planning and configuring network topology, and other diagnostic functions.
Specifically, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), such as mean data in kilobits per second are used to monitor and manage the operation of cellular communication networks. Measurements are made, and metrics are calculated, by many entities in a network, e.g., cell sites, access points, and end-user devices. Thus, there is the opportunity for obtaining in-depth measurements to guide network management. However, all these performance data from all these network entities has the potential problem of overloading the available data storage or processing capabilities of the nodes, or communication resources of the network. The problem is even greater in Self-Organizing Networks, where the nodes (a) share data to support collaborative network management, and (b) there is limited bandwidth for inter-node communication.
One solution to the problem provides a global view by clustering the available data in multiple network elements, thereby making queries of existing data more efficient. However, this solution does not provide a mechanism to help individual network elements maximize their efficiency with the data that they collect, store, and communicate in a peer-to-peer manner.
Another solution presents a distributed multi-agent recommender system in which agents collaborate to provide recommendations and to decide whether to increase or decrease their own expertise in a given topic area. However, this solution does not indicate how this peer-to-peer collaboration might be supplemented with centralized nomination of agents to become experts. Likewise, it does not address the bandwidth or storage resource constraints of a typical telecommunication network.
Accordingly, there is a need for cost effective technique to provide distributed KPI data bases. It would also be of benefit if this technique could overcome the problems of overloading the available data storage, processing capabilities of the nodes, and communication resources of the network.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are typically not depicted or described in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention.